Acer Aspire 1800 User manual

Acer Aspire 1800 Series

User’s Guide

Changes may be made periodically to the information in this publication without obligation

to notify any person of such revision or changes. Such changes will be incorporated in new

editions of this manual or supplementary documents and publications. This company makes

no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the contents

herein and specifically disclaims the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a

particular purpose.

Record the model number, serial number, purchase date, and place of purchase information in

the space provided below. The serial number and model number are recorded on the label

affixed to your computer. All correspondence concerning your unit should include the serial

number, model number, and purchase information.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in

any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise,

without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated.

Model Number : __________________________________

Serial Number: ___________________________________

Purchase Date: ___________________________________

Place of Purchase: ________________________________

Acer Aspire 1800 Series Notebook Computer User's Guide

Original Issue: August 2004

Acer Aspire 1800 Series Notebook computer

All trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective companies.

iii

English

First things first

Yo u r g u i de s

A set of guides is provided to help you set up and use your Aspire com-

puter.

For more information on our products, services, and support, please

visit our web site: www.acer.com.

Basic care and tips for using your computer

Turning your computer on and off

To turn on your computer, open the lid and press the power button

above the keyboard. See “A tour of your computer” on page 3 for the

location of the power button.

To turn the power off, you can do any of the following:

• Click on the Start button in Windows, and then select Shut Down

on the popup menu.

• Push the power button.

To use this method, you must change the Power Management

settings in Control Panel. See Windows Help for more information.

The Just for starters… poster shows you how to set up your

computer.

This User's Guide provides clear and concise information on

using your computer productively. You are advised to read

it thoroughly and keep it handy for future reference.

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English

Note: If the operating system freezes, or locks up, press and hold

the power button for more than four seconds.

Taking care of your computer

Your computer will serve you well if you take care of it.

• Do not expose the computer to direct sunlight. Do not place it

near sources of heat, such as a radiator.

• Do not expose the computer to temperatures below 0°C (32°F), or

above 50°C (122°F).

• Do not expose the computer to magnetic fields.

• Do not expose the computer to rain or moisture.

• Do not spill water or any liquid on the computer.

• Do not subject the computer to heavy shock or vibration.

• Do not expose the computer to dust or dirt.

• Do not place objects on top of the computer.

• Do not slam the lid shut. Close the computer gently.

• Do not place the computer on unstable or uneven surfaces.

Taking care of your AC adapter

It is important that you look after your AC adapter.

• Do not connect the adapter to any other device.

• Do not step on the power cord or place heavy objects on it. Route

the power cord away from areas where people might walk on it or

trip over it.

• Do not pull on the power cord when disconnecting from a power

strip or wall outlet. Grasp and pull the plug instead.

• The total ampere rating for all equipment plugged into a power

strip should not exceed the ampere rating of the power strip.

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English

Taking care of your battery pack

It is also important that you look after your computer's battery pack.

• Use the correct battery model for your computer. Do not use other

kinds of batteries.

• Turn the power off before removing or replacing the battery.

• Do not tamper with the battery. Keep the battery away from

children.

• Dispose of batteries according to local regulations. Recycle if

possible.

Cleaning and servicing

When cleaning your computer, it is important that you follow these

steps:

• Turn off the computer and remove the battery.

• Disconnect the AC adapter.

• Clean with a soft cloth moistened with a little water. Do not use

liquid or aerosol cleaners.

Refer to the chapter entitled “Frequently asked questions” on page 79

if any of the following occurs:

• You drop the computer or damage the case.

• You spill liquid on the computer.

• The computer does not operate normally.

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English

First things first iii

Your guides iii

Basic care and tips for using your computer iii

Turning your computer on and off iii

Taking care of your computer iv

Taking care of your AC adapter iv

Taking care of your battery pack v

Cleaning and servicing v

Getting familiar with

your computer 1

A tour of your computer 3

Front view 5

Left view 6

Right view 7

Rear view 8

Bottom view 9

Features 10

Display 12

Indicators 13

Keyboard 15

Lock keys 15

Windows keys 16

Function keys 17

Euro key 18

Touchpad 19

Touchpad basics 19

Launch keys 21

Storage 23

Hard disk 23

Optical drive 23

Ejecting the CD or DVD tray 23

Connectivity options 24

Ethernet and LAN 24

Fax/data modem 24

Audio 26

Aspire Media Console 27

Securing your computer 28

Security slot 28

Passwords 28

Operating on

Contents

battery power 29

Battery pack 31

Battery pack characteristics 31

Maximizing battery life 31

Installing and removing the battery pack 32

Charging the battery 33

Checking the battery level 33

Optimizing battery life 33

Battery-low warning 34

Power management 35

Peripherals and options 37

External display devices 39

External input devices 39

External keyboard 39

External keypad 39

External pointing device 39

USB devices 40

IEEE 1394 Port 41

Printer 42

Audio devices 42

Expansion devices 43

PC Card 43

Key component upgrades 45

Memory upgrade 45

Installing memory 45

Hard disk upgrade 46

Moving with your computer 47

Disconnecting from the desktop 49

Moving around 49

Taking the computer home 50

Setting up a home office 50

Traveling with with computer 51

Traveling internationally with your computer 52

Software 53

System utility 55

Acer eManager 55

Launch Manager 56

Aspire Arcade 57

Instant-on Arcade 57

English

Features and Benefits 57

Cinema 57

Album 58

Music 58

Windows Arcade 60

Arcade Hot keys 61

Arcade remote controller 62

Finding and playing content 65

Advanced Settings 65

Arcade controls 66

Navigation controls 66

Player controls 66

Cinema 67

DVD settings 67

Album 69

Video 71

Playing a video file 71

Editing a video file 71

Music 72

TV(Optional) 72

Burner 72

Copy - backup your CD/DVD collection 72

Audio - create your own greatest hits CDs 73

Data - store files simply and easily 73

Video - your world in pictures 73

BIOS Setup Utility 75

Troubleshooting 77

Frequently asked questions 79

Appendix A Specifications 83

Appendix B Notices 89

Index 103

Getting familiar with

your computer

Your Aspire notebook computer combines

solid performance, versatility, multimedia

capabilities and portability with stylish

design. Increase your productivity by

working wherever you are.

This chapter provides an in-depth "tour" of

your computer's features.

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English

A tour of your computer

After setting up your new Aspire notebook computer, as illustrated in

the Just for starters… poster, take a few minutes to explore your sytem.

Open view

# Item Description

1 Screen Wide screen display provides visual

output.

2 Status Indicators LEDs that turn on and off to show

system statuss.

Getting familiar with your computer

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English

3 Launch keys Buttons that can be programmed to

start frequently used applications.

4 Keyboard Full-size keyboard for inputting typed

data.

5 Built-in Microphone For recording audio on the computer

6 Touchpad Touch sensitive pad that functions like a

computer mouse.

7 Click buttons and 4-way

scroll key

Right and left buttons that provide the

same functions as the buttons on a

computer mouse. The scroll key scrolls

the contents of a window up and down,

as well as right and left.

8 Palm rest Provides a comfortable platform for

your hands when typing on the

keyboard.

9 Power Button Turns the computer on or off.

# Item Description

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English

Front view

# Item Description

1 Stereo Speakers Produce stereo sound

2 InviLink™

Button

Enables Wireless LAN connectivity (manufacturing

option)

3 Bluetooth®

Button

Enables Bluetooth® functionality (manufacturing

option)

4 Console display Media status display

5 Remote sensor Receive the signal from the remote control

6 Arcade button Multimedia button

7 Stop Press to stop playing the audio track or video file

8 Play/Pause Press to start playing the audio track or video file/

Press again to pause

9 Backward Press to skip backward to the previous track or

video file and start playing

10 Forward Press to skip forward to the next track or video

file and start playing

11 Power indicator Lights when the computer is on

12 Battery charge

indicator

Lights orange when the battery is in charging.

Lights green when the battery is fully charged

13 Media Controls Multimedia Button

14 Latch Locks and releases the lid

Getting familiar with your computer

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English

Left view

# Item Description

1

USB ports

USB 2.0 ports

2

Headphone-in jack

Connects headphones for analog audio

output and digital S/PDIF output

3

Microphone-in jack

Connects an external microphone for

audio input

4 Optical drive Internal optical drive; accepts CDs or DVDs

depending on the optical drive type.

5 Optical disc read

indicator

Light emitting diode (LED) that indicates

when an optical disc is being read.

6 Optical drive eject button Press the eject button to remove a disc

from the optical drive.

7 Optical drive emergency

eject hole

Used to eject an optical disc when the

computer is turned off.

8 5 in 1 Card Reader Supports:

• Memory Stick (MS)

• MultiMediaCard (MMC)

• SecureDigital (SD)

• SmartMedia (SM)

•xD

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English

Right view

# Item Description

1 PC card eject button Press the eject button to remove a PC card

from the PC card slot.

2 PC card slot Type II PC card supports PCMCIA or

CardBus.

3 IEEE 1394 port Connects IEEE 1394 devices.

4 USB ports USB 2.0 ports

5 Infrared port Interfaces with infrared devices (e.g.

infrared printer, IR-aware computer, etc...)

Getting familiar with your computer

8

English

Rear view

# Item Description

1 S-video out port Connects to a television or display device

supporting S-video input.

2 Network jack Connects the computer to the 10/100/

1000 Ethernet network.

3 Modem jack Connects the built-in fax/data modem to

a phone line.

4 External display

port

Connects an external (VGA) monitor.

5 Ventilation slot Enables the computer to stay cool, even

after prolonged use.

6 Kensington lock slot For attaching a security device.

7 DC-in jack Connect the AC power adapter

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English

Bottom view

# Item Description

1 Mini-PCI Slot Slot for adding mini-PCI cards

2 Memory compartment Removable cover provides access to the

memory slots for upgrading the

computer's memory.

3

Battery release latch

Unlatches the battery to remove the

battery pack.

4 Battery pack The computer's removable battery.

5 Hard disk bay Removable cover provides access to the

computer's hard drive.

6 Sub-Woofer Outputs low/mid range audio

Getting familiar with your computer

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English

Features

Performance

• Intel® Pentium® 4 processor 520/530/540/550/560 (2.8 to 3.6 GHz,

1MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB); supporting Intel® Hyper-Threading™

Technology

• Intel® 915P chipset supporting PCI-Express technology

• 2 memory slots supporting 333 MHz DDR, upgradeable to 2GB

with dual soDIMM modules, supporting dual-channel DDR

memory when 2 memory slots utilized

Note: Dual-channel memory requires symmetrical memory

modules using the same density (e.g. 256MB,512MB), bus width

(e.g. x8 ,x16) and granule technology (e.g. 256M-bit, 512M-bit)

• 40GB and up Enhanced-IDE hard disk drive

Multimedia

• Built-in DVD Combo,DVD-Dual or DVD Super-Multi drive

• 17.0” TFT Color LCD, 16:10 viewing ratio, 1440x900 (WXGA) panel

• 2.1 channel stereo speaker system with built-in subwoofer

• Audio input and S/PDIF (for digital audio enjoyment) output jacks

Connectivity

• Integrated Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mbps) Ethernet connection

• Built-in 56Kbps fax/data modem

• Four universal serial bus (USB 2.0) ports

• One IEEE 1394 port

• InviLink™ 802.11b/g Wireless LAN, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ with WPA

support; supporting Acer SignalUp™ wireless technology and

Bluetooth® (manufacturing options)

Human-centric design

• Rugged, portable construction

• Stylish appearance

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